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Make-A-Wish Foundation Partnership
FBI Washington Field
Office (WFO) has been partners with the Make-A-Wish
Foundation since March 2005. WFO has helped the
Make-A-Wish Foundation to fulfill two children's wishes, Maiya and Joel.
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| Make-A-Wish
and WFO Fulfill Maiya's Wish on April 21,
2006: |
| Eleven-year-old
Maiya Washington is facing a life-threatening
medical condition. Recently, Maiya shared her
wish with volunteers of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
More than anything in the world, Maiya wished
to visit with Special Agents of the F.B.I.
to learn about the important work they do day
in and day out on the behalf of their country.
Maiya was very interested in meeting F.B.I.
Agents to learn about their work, training
and equipment. She is especially interested
in counter-intelligence work. She loves movies
like Spy Kids and the various James Bond films.
Maiya even has her friends sometimes call her "A.J.
Spycode." When asked why she wished to
visit with the F.B.I., Maiya said she wants
to "grow up and work for our country." Maiya
is like many children her age. She likes reading,
and arts and crafts. Additionally, she loves
Chinese food and fudge brownies. Her favorite
television shows are the Fresh Prince of Bel
Air and Sponge Bob Squarepants. Maiya, who
lives in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan
area, also likes the Chicago Bears football
team. |
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| ADIC
Persichini greets Maiya near FBI Headquarters |
Maiya
arrives at WFO in the Mobile Command Center |
Maiya
and her family are surprised by their WFO welcome |
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| "Welcome
Special Agent Maiya!!" |
Maiya
gets fingerprinted |
Maiya
receives her SA badge from ADIC Persichini |
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| Maiya
and her family meet FBI Director Robert S.
Mueller III |
Maiya
meets a member of SWAT |
Go,
Maiya, Go! |
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| Make-A-Wish
and WFO Fulfill Joel's Wish: |
Another event
WFO has hosted was Joel wished to be an FBI
Agent. Nine-year-old Joel was fighting
the same illness that took his young sister
a few months before his wish cam true. He recently
had his wish to be an FBI Agent fulfilled.
Joel was picked up for his wish in the FBI's
mobile command center and taken by police escort
to the FBI Washington Field Office. There more
than 125 FBI Agents and employees greeted him
waving American flags and many holding signs
that read "FBI Welcomes Joel", "Joel
is #1" and "Welcome Joel". Joel
was led into a conference room, where he was
made an Honorary FBI Agent and posed with the
FBI seal in the background. Joel was then briefed
by a FBI agent about an espionage case the
Bureau cracked and was able to watch actual
surveillance video.
Joel then learned about weapons and received deadly force training
- learning when an FBI Agent is allowed to use lethal force. Before
leaving the Washington Field Office, Joel went through the "booking
process" by being fingerprinted and having a "mug" shot
taken.
After leaving the Washington Field Office, Joel and his family traveled
with a police escort to the FBI Headquarters where he had a chance
to pick up a few official FBI souvenirs and toured the Bureau's SIOC. Joel
was then made an Honorary Member of the Washington Field Office SWAT
team and received a demonstration from the team about their tactics.
Each member of the SWAT team greeted Joel and took photos with him.
As Joel watched excitedly, each member of the SWAT team fired shots
into the same target. The Agents retrieved the target, autographed
it, and presented it to Joel as a gift.
Joel then traveled to the FBI cafeteria. In a room full of tables
and chairs, Joel dined at a table with a white linen tablecloth and
a big 'reserved' sign on it. While eating a slice of pizza, Joel
learned more about the FBI from several Agents who dined with him.
Joel was thrilled that his wish came true. Unfortunately, almost
immediately after Joel returned home from his wish, his condition
took a turn for the worse and he began hospice care. |
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